Belts' Soft Serve welcomes customers for 35th season

STEVENS POINT – As the windows opened at the front of Belts' Soft Serve on Saturday, a cheer rose up from the two lines that had been forming outside since the previous night.

Saturday marked the start of the 35th season for the seasonal business, at 2140 Division St., and by the time the first customers were served at 11 a.m., about 60 people had gathered waiting to get their inaugural taste of the year of soft serve, flurry, sundae or any of the other numerous treats offered at Belts'.

Cole Racine, manager of Belts' and the third generation of his family to run the business, said he was happy to see the turnout despite a cold week leading up to the opening. Temperatures fell below zero Friday night and reached just nine degrees at the time the business opened for the season.

"We're at least lucky it's sunny out today," Racine said. "The weather isn't exactly where we'd like it to be, but I'm thrilled that people just seemed to push past it and came out. Hopefully it's the start of a great season."

Leda Storm of Stevens Point and her 17-year-old son James got to Belts' at 8:30 p.m. Friday, waiting in their car overnight to be the first in line Saturday. James ordered a volcano, which is a giant cup of vanilla and chocolate twist ice cream with an empty ice cream cone on top filled with chocolate syrup. Leda, meanwhile, grabbed a special flurry being offered, the "Circus Ole," which had animal crackers with hot fudge and sprinkles, along with a blue moon shake for her boyfriend.

"We thought we'd come early on Friday to beat the rush, and we ended up being the first people here by an hour and a half," said Leda Storm. "We come to the opening day every year, and (James) always gets the same thing, while I like to try something new."

Jeff Presley of Stevens Point has come out the past few years to camp out with his kids the night before the opening of Belts', and he comes prepared for the elements. Presley and his 13-year-old son Tanner spent the night in a small portable ice fishing shack, which they had to move off the Belts' property by 10 a.m. before the opening.

Once their turn came up, Presley grabbed a mint shake while Tanner grabbed a "Pointer," a flurry with cookie dough and brownies. The two, along with the Storm family, also got free Belts' T-shirts, which went to the first 25 customers in line, and free Belts' drinking glasses, given to the first 100 customers in line.

"The weather's not a problem if you're ready for it, and we all look forward to it," Presley said.

Nathan Vine can be reached at 715-345-2252. Find him on Twitter as @SPJNathanVine